How to Make a Simple Origami Lotus Flower: 14 Steps

Some crafts are “cute.” Others are “impressive.” The origami lotus is bothlike a paper flower that showed up
to the party wearing a tuxedo and still offered to help with dishes.

In this guide, you’ll fold a classic, beginner-friendly origami lotus flower from a single square sheet
of paper using a method that’s been taught everywhere from craft sites to community workshops. No glue. No cutting.
Just crisp folds, a little patience, and the satisfying moment when the petals finally pop into place.

Materials & best paper choices

• 1 square sheet of paper (6×6 inch to 8×8 inch is a comfortable beginner size)
• Optional: bone folder, credit card edge, or the back of a spoon for sharper creases
• Optional: a flat coin or small paperweight (handy if your corners keep springing open)

Paper advice (so your petals don’t tear)

The lotus stacks multiple layers quickly, so thin paper is your friend. If your paper is thick, the final
“petal flipping” stage can feel like trying to fold a tiny paper burrito made of cardboard.

Great options: origami paper, lightweight craft paper, or even a neatly cut square from a magazine page (bonus: cool patterns).
Printer paper works, but use a larger square and expect a slightly bulkier flower.

Before you start: two quick setup tips

1) Pick which color you want on the outside

If your paper is colored on one side and white on the other, start with the color side down if you want
a mostly colored lotus. Start color side up if you want lighter “highlight” accents.

2) Fold like you mean it (but don’t crease like you’re angry)

Crisp creases make cleaner petals. Press firmly with a fingertip or tooljust don’t “saw” the paper so hard that it weakens and rips.
Think: confident handshake, not wrestling match.

14 Steps to fold a simple origami lotus flower

These steps describe a popular “corner-to-center” lotus method. You’ll repeatedly fold corners into the center to build the base,
then form petals by lifting layers from underneath.

1. Start with a square sheet on a flat surface.
   If your paper has two sides, decide your “outside color” now and place it facing down for a mostly colored lotus.
2. Fold diagonally corner-to-corner, then unfold.
   Bring one corner to the opposite corner to make a triangle. Crease, then open back to a square.
3. Fold diagonally the other way, then unfold.
   You should now see an “X” crease that marks the center point. That center is your folding “bullseye.”
4. Fold all four corners into the center (first cushion/blintz fold).
   Take each corner and fold it to the center where the creases cross. After all four corners are in, you’ll have a smaller square.
5. Fold all four corners into the center again (second time).
   Same move, smaller square. Press each fold flat as you gothis is where neatness starts paying rent.
6. Fold all four corners into the center a third time.
   Yes, again. Your model will get thicker. If it feels springy, hold the center down with a finger (or a coin) while you fold.
7. Flip the model over.
   Turn the whole stack over like a pancake (but less delicious). You should see a cleaner, less folded-looking side on top.
8. Fold all four corners into the center one last time.
   Now you’ve built the “locked” base that helps the petals stay put. Keep the center pinned with your thumb if it tries to open.
9. Make a small “pinch” or starter fold on one corner.
   Pick one corner of the top layer and create a small kink/crease (about a third of the way in). This gives your fingers a grip point
   and helps anchor the petal move.
10. Form the first petal by pulling a flap from underneath.
    Keep one finger pressing the center. With your other hand, reach underneath and find the matching flap layer. Gently pull it up and over
    to the top side, letting it “wrap” into a petal shape. Go slowthis is the part where paper sometimes complains.
11. Repeat to create four outer petals.
    Rotate the model and repeat the pinch-and-pull action for the other three corners. After four pulls, you’ll see a flower-like shape
    starting to happen (cue tiny victory dance).
12. Flip or lift small inner triangles to refine the petal edges.
    Inside each petal, you may notice a small triangular flap. Fold or flip it upward slightly so the petal looks cleaner and more “petal-y,”
    less “random geometry homework.”
13. Pull up the second layer of petals.
    Under the first petals, there’s another set of flaps. One by one, lift them up and over to form the next ring of petals. If a flap seems stuck,
    stop and search for the correct layerforcing it is how rips happen.
14. Shape the lotus and set it up to display.
    Gently open the center, spread petals to your preferred “bloom,” and curve edges by rolling them around a pencil. If you want a bowl-style lotus,
    keep petals more upright. If you want a wide-open lotus, fan them outward.

Troubleshooting: when your lotus gets… dramatic

Problem: “My petals rip when I pull them up.”

• Use thinner paper or increase your starting size (8×8 inches is kinder than 4×4).
• Pull slowly and make sure you’re lifting the correct layer from underneath.
• Reinforce the center by pressing it down firmly while you pull a flap up and over.
• Small tear? Call it “natural petal texture,” adjust that petal to the back, and continue.

Problem: “My corners don’t line up perfectly.”

Totally normalespecially with napkins or hand-cut squares. Prioritize keeping the center tight and the folds consistent.
A slightly asymmetrical lotus still looks great once the petals are shaped.

Problem: “It keeps springing open like it has opinions.”

Use a coin or fingertip to hold the center down while folding corners. Also, flatten each fold before moving onlayers behave better when they’re crisp.

Problem: “It looks more like a sad paper hat than a flower.”

Don’t judge it until you’ve pulled up the second layer of petals. The lotus often looks weird halfway throughlike it’s still “loading.”
Finish the petal layers, then shape the bloom.

Easy variations (same skills, extra wow)

Two-tone lotus (without extra steps)

Use paper with different colors on each side, or start with patterned paper. The repeated folds will naturally reveal accents,
especially as you open the petals.

Nested lotus (the “gift topper” upgrade)

Fold a second lotus from a smaller square (for example, a 4×4 inside a 6×6). Place it inside the larger lotus for a layered, fancy look
that makes people assume you own an arts-and-crafts cape.

Lotus bowl style

Keep petals more upright and tighten the center. This version works well as a small “holder” for wrapped candy, tea lights (unlit), or place cards.

Display ideas: gifts, tables, and tiny paper “wow” moments

• Gift topper: set the lotus on a present instead of a bow (bonus: it won’t get crushed in a drawer).
• Table decor: make a few in matching colors and use them as napkin rings or plate accents.
• Mini centerpieces: cluster 3–5 lotuses of different sizes in a shallow bowl.
• Kids’ craft win: let kids decorate squares first (markers, stamps), then fold. The patterns look amazing in the petals.

Experience section: what folding a lotus actually feels like (and what helps)

If you’re new to origami, the lotus is a funny teacher: it starts out calm, gets a little chaotic in the middle, and then suddenly becomes beautiful
right when you’re about to declare, “I have never touched paper again and I am moving to a life of knitting.”

Early on, the folds feel almost too easydiagonals, corners to center, repeat. You might even get a little smug (enjoy it; it’s temporary).
Then the layers stack up and the model becomes thicker, and that’s usually when people realize why origami folks talk about paper choice like it’s a
serious lifestyle decision. Thin paper behaves. Thick paper negotiates. If you start with heavy cardstock, the lotus will still happen, but it may
happen with tiny stress noises and a petal that looks like it survived a bar fight.

A very common “real life” moment is the springy center. The corners don’t want to stay in place, especially after the second or third round of folding.
This is where a boring household item becomes your best crafting buddy: a coin. Set it on the center while you fold the next corner. It’s not cheating.
It’s engineering. (Also, it makes you feel like a fancy origami architect, which is emotionally important.)

Another experience almost everyone has: the first time you pull up a petal from underneath, it feels like you’re doing a magic trick… and also like you
might rip the paper if you breathe wrong. The trick is to move slowly and make sure you grabbed the correct layer. If you pull and the whole model starts
to unravel, pause. Put it down. Re-press the center. Then try lifting a different flap. Origami is basically “find the right layer” disguised as art.

If your petals aren’t symmetrical, you’re in excellent company. In real crafting sessionsclassrooms, community workshops, kitchen-table experiments
lotus flowers often come out with a little personality. One petal stands taller. Another is slightly wider. Once you gently shape and curve them, those
differences look intentional, like a real flower. (Nature rarely folds with a ruler, and it’s doing fine.)

A helpful trick for getting a more “bloomed” look is to curl petals with a pencil. Place the pencil near the edge of a petal and roll the paper outward,
lightly. Don’t crank it. You’re persuading the paper, not trying to start a lawnmower. This small finishing step is where many lotus flowers jump from
“nice” to “wait, did you buy that?”

People also discover that the lotus is oddly addictive. You fold one, then you want to fold “just one more” in a different color. Soon you’ve got a tiny
pond of paper lotuses on your desk, and you’re naming them like they’re houseplants. This is normal. The lotus is a great stress-relief model because it’s
repetitive in a soothing way, but still ends with a dramatic reveal when the petals form.

Finally, don’t underestimate how useful this model is once you’ve got it down. A lotus makes a memorable gift topper, a sweet table decoration, and a fun
“I made this!” moment for kids and adults alike. And if your first lotus looks a little wonky? Congratsyou’ve made the most authentic origami lotus of all:
the one that proves you actually learned something.

Wrap-up

That’s the simple origami lotus flower in 14 steps: fold corners to the center to build a sturdy base, then lift layers from underneath to form petals.
After one or two tries, your hands will memorize the flowand you’ll be able to fold a paper lotus anytime you need a quick, impressive craft win.

Try different paper sizes, experiment with patterns, and don’t be afraid to “style” the petals at the end. The folding gets you the structure; the shaping
makes it look alive.

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